⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: FastestVPN starts at $0.83/mo on the 1 Year + 1 Year Free deal. TunnelBear starts at $3.33/mo.
- Best for: FastestVPN suits streaming sites and torrenting. TunnelBear suits VPN newbies who want a free plan.
- Key difference: FastestVPN has streaming servers, an ad blocker and a NAT firewall. TunnelBear keeps the app to one button.
- Money back: FastestVPN gives 31 days. TunnelBear gives none.
- Our pick: FastestVPN, because it does more for less and still refunds you if it fails.
One of these two VPN providers gives you a free version forever.
The other gives you a lifetime plan for one payment of $40.
Neither is trying to beat NordVPN on raw scale.
Both are budget picks with a small server network.
So the real question is what you give up at this price.
Overview
This TunnelBear vs FastestVPN comparison covers pricing, speed, streaming, and security features.
Our writer spent hands-on time with FastestVPN across Windows and mobile apps.
Notes on TunnelBear come from its documentation, published audits, and user reviews.
We also flag where each vpn service falls short.
By the end you will know which one fits your internet connection and budget.
What is FastestVPN?
FastestVPN is a budget vpn service based in the Cayman Islands.
The vpn company runs around 800 servers across 49 countries.
It sells one lifetime plan instead of a yearly fastestvpn subscription.
You get an ad blocker, a NAT firewall, and split tunneling built in.
The vpn app puts streaming servers in a separate tab.
Here is a short walkthrough of the apps and the server list.
🏆 Winner: FastestVPN
Streaming servers, port forwarding, and a 31-day refund window. The lifetime deal costs less than one year of most rivals.
FastestVPN Pricing
Three plans, and one of them never renews.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Year + 1 Year Free | $0.83/mo | Two years of cover at the lowest monthly cost |
| 1 Month Plan | $5/mo | Short trips and testing fastestvpn first |
| Exclusive Lifetime Plan | $40 | One payment, no renewal date |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No free version. You pay first, then test.
Money back guarantee: 31 days on every plan, refund on request.
📌 Note: Two paid add-ons sit outside the plan price. A dedicated IP address costs $1.49 per month. Another 10 simultaneous connections cost $4 each per month.
⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list the annual plan at $19.95, roughly $1.66 per month. Promotions change often, so confirm the current price at checkout.
Key Benefits of FastestVPN
Here is what you actually get for the money:
- Audited no logs policy: Altius IT reviewed the claim and confirmed it. No activity or connection timestamps are stored.
- Cayman Islands base: No mandatory data retention laws apply there. The jurisdiction sits outside the main surveillance alliances.
- Servers tuned for streaming: A dedicated tab points you at the right server location for Netflix, Disney+, Hotstar, and BBC iPlayer.
- Ad blocker and NAT firewall: Ads and malware domains get filtered before they load. The firewall drops unwanted inbound internet traffic.
- 10 devices at once: One account covers a Windows computer, phones, and a router. Torrenting is allowed on every server.
- Live chat that answers: Support runs 24/7 with real people. FastestVPN holds a five-star Trustpilot score, with reviews naming support directly.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer tested FastestVPN on Windows and iOS across everyday browsing, streaming, and downloads. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
FastestVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Lifetime plan costs one payment of $40
- 31-day money back guarantee on all plans
- No logs policy audited by Altius IT
- 24/7 live chat support with real people
- Ad blocker, NAT firewall and split tunneling included
❌ Cons
- Download speeds drop about 45% on average
- DNS and IP leaks have been reported on Windows
- Some Netflix libraries fail to load
- No free plan to test before paying
What is TunnelBear?
TunnelBear is a Canadian vpn service owned by McAfee.
It has been in the vpn market since 2011.
The tunnelbear app is a world map with one switch.
You pick a country, flip the switch, and a bear tunnels there.
There are desktop apps, mobile apps, and browser extensions.
TunnelBear offers a free version, which is how most people find it.
This video walks through the interface and the free account setup.
🥈 Runner Up: TunnelBear
The simplest vpn app you can hand to a beginner. Free plan included, and audits published every year since 2016.
TunnelBear Pricing
Here is what TunnelBear costs right now.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Testing and Limited usage | VPN newbies checking the tunnelbear site first |
| Unlimited | $3.33/mo | Unlimited data on all your devices |
| Teams | $5.75/user per month | Small teams with central billing |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: The tunnelbear free plan caps you at 500 MB per month. No card needed.
Money back guarantee: None. Once you purchase TunnelBear, there is no refund window.
📌 Note: Promotions, including TunnelBear’s Twitter offer, can lift the free account from 500 MB to 2 GB per month. Payment is by credit card only since Bitcoin was dropped.
⚠️ Price check: Some review sites list $9.99 monthly, $39.99 for year one, and $120 for three years. The annual deal can auto-renew at $59.88, so confirm pricing and renewal terms at checkout.
Key Benefits of TunnelBear
What TunnelBear does well:
- Annual security audits: Cure53 has run a security audit on the apps every year since 2016. Findings, including high-severity ones, were published and fixed.
- A real free plan: 500 MB a month, full app, no card. Other vpn providers rarely give the complete client away.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: The premium tier covers unlimited device connections, so one account runs the whole house.
- VigilantBear kill switch: If the vpn connection drops, all internet traffic stops until the tunnel is back.
- SplitBear and GhostBear: SplitBear picks which apps skip the tunnel. GhostBear disguises vpn traffic in heavily censored countries.
- Thin privacy policy: No IP addresses, no DNS queries, no browsing history. Operational data is limited to the OS version, the tunnelbear app version, and monthly data used.
What Our Team Noticed
Note: we have not had extended hands-on time with TunnelBear yet. Everything above comes from published documentation, Cure53 audit reports, transparency reports, and user reviews. We will add first-hand notes once our writer completes a full paid subscription cycle.
TunnelBear Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan with no credit card required
- Independent Cure53 audits published since 2016
- Unlimited simultaneous connections on the paid tier
- Map interface that beginners understand instantly
- Transparency reports show no user data handed over
❌ Cons
- No money back guarantee on any plan
- Speeds average roughly 40% of base download speed
- Netflix and Amazon Prime Video usually return proxy errors
- No live chat, and no router or Linux installs
Feature Comparison
Both tools sit at the cheap end of the market, so the gaps show up fast. Here are the eleven areas that decide this one.
| Feature | FastestVPN | TunnelBear |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0.83/mo | $3.33/mo |
| Free Plan | ❌ | ✅ 500 MB/mo |
| Servers / Countries | 800 / 49 | Not published / 47 |
| WireGuard Protocol | ✅ | ⚠️ Disputed |
| Unblocks Netflix | ✅ Partly | ❌ |
| Kill Switch | ✅ | ✅ VigilantBear |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ Smart Tunneling | ✅ SplitBear |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 | Unlimited |
| Money Back Guarantee | ✅ 31 days | ❌ |
| Live Chat Support | ✅ 24/7 | ❌ Web form only |
| Best For | Streaming and torrenting on a budget | Beginners who want a free plan |
1. Server Network and Locations
FastestVPN: The server list holds around 800 servers in 49 countries. That is a small server network next to NordVPN or ExpressVPN, and some entries are virtual servers rather than local hardware. FastestVPN servers are split into normal and streaming groups, and FastestVPN’s servers allow torrenting on every location.
TunnelBear: Coverage runs to 47 countries and 48 server locations. TunnelBear does not publish how many servers sit behind each pin, so you pick a flag and trust it. TunnelBear’s servers all permit P2P. The country TunnelBear itself operates from is Canada, and a Canada server is always in the list.
⚠️ Warning: With so few servers on either side, peak-hour crowding hits both. Try different servers in the same country before you blame your internet connection.
2. Speed and Protocols
FastestVPN: Independent speed tests put the average download loss near 45%, with upload down about 22% and latency up 33% on one machine. FastestVPN claims roughly 730 Mbps on a nearby server over the WireGuard protocol. Long-distance hops bring slow speeds, losing up to 55%, so pick the nearest server when you can. WireGuard, OpenVPN TCP, and IKEv2 are all selectable.
TunnelBear: Reviewers record download speeds averaging about 40% of the base rate, and TunnelBear’s performance swings hard between locations. Connections can take over 10 seconds to establish. Turning GhostBear on drops throughput further.
⚠️ Conflicting sources: Some reviews say TunnelBear lacks WireGuard entirely. Newer documentation lists WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Check the protocol menu in your build before you buy on that basis.
3. Streaming and Geo-Blocks
FastestVPN: A dedicated tab holds servers tuned for the big streaming services: Netflix, Disney+, Hotstar, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. Multiple Netflix libraries open, including US, UK, Japan, and Sweden. Streaming FastestVPN is not flawless though, as the Australian library failed and US Netflix loaded slowly for some users.
TunnelBear: Netflix usually returns a proxy error, and the same happens on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Smaller streaming sites do work. GhostBear can force a way through, but the speed cost makes video painful.
⚠️ Warning: If you want to access global content on a free plan, the 500 MB data limit ends that idea in about 20 minutes of HD video.
4. Security and Encryption
FastestVPN: AES-256 encryption protects everything between an encrypted client and the vpn server. Altius IT ran a third-party audit and confirmed the logging claim. The security features list also covers a NAT firewall and DNS request routing through its own resolvers.
TunnelBear: Also AES-256, with Cure53 running a security audit every year since 2016. Those security audits found critical and high-severity bugs, which were patched and published. That cycle is rare among vpn providers at this price.
5. Kill Switch and Leak Protection
FastestVPN: The kill switch cuts the connection if the vpn tunnel collapses, and DNS leak protection keeps dns requests inside the network. Reviewers have questioned how reliably the switch fires. Independent dns leak tests on Windows have also exposed DNS and IP leaks.
TunnelBear: VigilantBear blocks all incoming and outgoing internet traffic until the vpn connection returns. Your real ip address stays masked and the vpn ip address takes over. No documented dns leaks sit against it.
⚠️ Warning: Run your own leak check on day one. Data leaks on a Windows build are worth catching inside the 31-day refund window.
6. Split Tunneling and Obfuscation
FastestVPN: Smart Tunneling decides which apps ride the tunnel and which use your normal line. Handy when your bank blocks foreign ip addresses. Split tunneling is available on the main platforms.
TunnelBear: SplitBear does the same job for apps and websites. GhostBear then disguises vpn traffic so it looks like ordinary browser traffic under censorship. That is one of TunnelBear’s features you will not find on most cheap rivals.
7. Apps and Device Support
FastestVPN: FastestVPN apps cover Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and routers. FastestVPN’s apps share one layout, and the Mac apps match the Windows build. The FastestVPN iOS app behaves the same way. Router support is how you reach an Apple TV or a console.
TunnelBear: The vpn apps include a Windows app, a Mac app, mobile apps, and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Routers and Linux are not supported at all. The premium tier does cover unlimited device connections, which FastestVPN caps at 10.
If you want to install FastestVPN on every screen you own, the router route covers devices simultaneously without touching the simultaneous device connections limit. Android users and iPhone owners get the same feature set on mobile devices.
8. Privacy and Logging
FastestVPN: Based in the Cayman Islands, where no mandatory data retention laws apply. The no logs policy covers activity and connection timestamps alike. That jurisdiction also sits outside the Five Eyes group.
TunnelBear: No ip addresses, dns queries, or browsing history are stored, and transparency reports confirm nothing has ever been handed over. Operational data is limited to the os version, app version, and monthly usage. Canada’s Five Eyes membership is the catch for online privacy purists.
9. Extra Tools
FastestVPN: The vpn features list runs long for the price: an ad blocker, malware filtering, port forwarding, and unlimited data on every plan. FastestVPN’s ad blocker works at the network level, so it catches ads inside apps too. A dedicated IP address and extra connections are paid add-ons.
TunnelBear: The paid tier also gives unlimited data, but the extras stop at VigilantBear, SplitBear, and GhostBear. No port forwarding, no dedicated IPs, no double VPN. TunnelBear Blocker, a separate tracker blocker for mobile, is the only bolt-on.
Neither bundles a password manager or antivirus software, and neither runs double VPN servers. If multi-hop matters, both are the wrong shelf.
10. Customer Support
FastestVPN: Live chat runs 24/7 with human agents, backed by email and a knowledge base. Replies come fast, though answers can read like templates. The knowledge base search is weak, so browse the categories instead.
TunnelBear: Customer support means a web form and email, available 24/7 in theory. There is no live chat support, and users report slow replies from the support team. The FAQ library is deep enough to solve most common issues alone.
11. Pricing & Cost
Here are both price lists side by side.
| Plan Type | FastestVPN | TunnelBear |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ❌ | Testing and Limited usage |
| Monthly | $5/mo (1 Month Plan) | — |
| Long-term | $0.83/mo (1 Year + 1 Year Free) | $3.33/mo (Unlimited) |
| Lifetime | $40 (Exclusive Lifetime Plan) | ❌ |
| Teams | ❌ | $5.75/user per month |
| Refund window | 31-day money back guarantee | None |
FastestVPN: The $40 lifetime option is the headline. One payment, no paid subscription to cancel, and you still get the 31-day refund window if it flops. A FastestVPN subscription at $0.83/mo undercuts almost every rival on the shelf.
TunnelBear: The tunnelbear cost of $3.33/mo is fair for what it does, and the free account costs nothing to try. But when you purchase TunnelBear there is no refund, so the free plan is your only safety net.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Zero upfront cost | TunnelBear | Free plan, no card |
| Lowest long-term price | FastestVPN | $40 once, forever |
| Netflix and BBC iPlayer | FastestVPN | Streaming servers actually work |
| A refund option | FastestVPN | 31 days, no questions |
| Router or Linux setup | FastestVPN | TunnelBear supports neither |
| Simplest possible app | TunnelBear | One map, one switch |
| Every device on one account | TunnelBear | Unlimited connections |
💰 Your Budget
If your budget is literally zero, TunnelBear is the only option here. If you can spend $40 once, FastestVPN costs less over three years than one year of most other vpn services.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Linux boxes, routers, and NAS units rule TunnelBear out immediately. On a laptop and a phone, either operating system choice works fine.
📺 Your Streaming Habits
Regular streaming pushes you to FastestVPN, since TunnelBear mostly loses that fight. Even then, expect to switch servers when a library refuses to load.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Complete beginners get further with TunnelBear on day one. Power users will hit its ceiling within a week and want the protocol and port forwarding controls FastestVPN offers.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
TunnelBear has no trial because the free tier is the trial. FastestVPN has no free version, so the refund window is the test period.
🛟 Support Options
Live chat matters more than people expect when a tunnel breaks at midnight. Only one of these two has it.
Switching Guide
Already paying for one of them? Here is what changes.
🔄 Switching from FastestVPN to TunnelBear?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections instead of 10
- A published Cure53 audit every year since 2016
- Browser extensions and a far simpler app
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Working streaming servers and port forwarding
- The 31-day refund safety net
- Router, Linux, and ad blocker support
📋 How to switch:
- Claim your refund inside the 31-day window first
- Create a free account and test the 500 MB tier
- Uninstall the old client, then turn on VigilantBear
🔄 Switching from TunnelBear to FastestVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Streaming access to Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+
- 24/7 live chat and a refund window
- Router support, ad blocker, and a lifetime price
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The free tier and the unlimited connection count
- Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox
- An annual independent audit cycle
📋 How to switch:
- Note which server locations you actually used
- Buy the lifetime plan and install on your main devices
- Enable the kill switch, then run a leak test
If you are moving off the bear, this walkthrough covers the setup steps first.
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on individual users on Windows, Mac, and mobile. We did not test the Teams console at scale or measure torrent throughput over long sessions. Our notes reflect the September 2026 builds, and vpn providers change server counts and protocols often.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | FastestVPN |
| 🌍 Server Network | FastestVPN |
| ⚡ Speed | FastestVPN |
| 📺 Streaming | FastestVPN |
| 🔒 Privacy & Audits | TunnelBear |
| 👶 Ease of Use | TunnelBear |
| 🛟 Support | FastestVPN |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | FastestVPN |
🏆 WINNER: FASTESTVPN
FastestVPN wins 5 of 7 categories.
Best for: Streaming, torrenting, router setups, and anyone who wants one payment instead of a renewal.
These two are aimed at different people. TunnelBear is a friendly front door to VPNs, and its audit record is better than its price suggests.
But a good vpn has to do the job you bought it for. TunnelBear cannot stream, cannot run on a router, and will not refund you if it disappoints.
Both are a safe vpn pick on the security basics. FastestVPN just keeps your encrypted data moving through more places, for less money, with a way out if it fails. That is why it takes this one.
More of FastestVPN Compared
Neither of these is the fastest VPN on the market, so here is how our winner lands against bigger names.
FastestVPN wins on: one-time lifetime pricing, cheaper two-year cost, simpler app for first-timers
NordVPN wins on: 6,000+ servers, double VPN servers, consistently faster long-distance routes
FastestVPN wins on: price by a wide margin, built-in ad blocker, port forwarding support
ExpressVPN wins on: 105-country coverage, stronger streaming reliability, its own Lightway protocol
FastestVPN wins on: lifetime plan option, lower entry price, Cayman Islands base
Surfshark wins on: unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad filtering across platforms, larger 100-country network
More of TunnelBear Compared
And how the bear measures up elsewhere:
TunnelBear vs ProtonVPN
TunnelBear wins on: friendlier map interface, unlimited devices on paid plans, cheaper entry price
ProtonVPN wins on: unlimited free data, open-source apps, Secure Core multi-hop routing
TunnelBear wins on: a genuine free tier, no device cap, gentler learning curve
NordVPN wins on: Netflix unblocking, Linux and router installs, far higher sustained speeds
TunnelBear wins on: no-card free plan, yearly published audits, lighter app footprint
CyberGhost wins on: 45-day refund policy, streaming-labelled servers, 90-country coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TunnelBear really free?
Yes. The free tier gives 500 MB a month with no card needed. Promotions can lift that to 2 GB. Unlimited data requires the paid plan.
Is TunnelBear blocked by Netflix?
Usually yes. Netflix returns a proxy error on most servers, and Amazon Prime Video behaves the same way. GhostBear occasionally gets through, but speeds then drop too far for video.
Which VPN is better than TunnelBear?
For streaming, routers, and refunds, FastestVPN is the better buy at this price. For a simpler app and unlimited devices, TunnelBear VPN still holds its ground.
Is FastestVPN worth it?
At $40 once, yes for most people. You get streaming servers, an ad blocker, port forwarding, and a 31-day refund. Speeds are average rather than class-leading.
Does FastestVPN work with Netflix?
Mostly. US, UK, Japan, and Sweden libraries open through the streaming tab. The Australian library failed in testing, and a few libraries load slowly at peak times.
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